Scavenger Hunt
by KattyTime
Summary: Gerald and Arnold have left Phoebe and Helga on their own with only a few clues and the promise of a big surprise. Who knew it would end up being a scavenger hunt around the world? I am accepting locations for later chapters.
1. Begin

I own nothing.

"Arnold, why am I wearing this blindfold?" Helga asked her boyfriend of three years. He didn't reply. He simply handed her a note. Then he was running away.

"Arnold! ARNOLD!" Helga yelled as she took off the blind fold. The note said:

Helga, Scavenger time. Find the man that led the nation to its freest destination. I will buy the tickets. Find me. Find a surprise. Love Arnold.

Helga took a moment to enjoy the love at the end of the note. Then she got annoyed. A scavenger hunt? To the Lincoln Memorial? Why all the secrets? She went to the apartment. She packed a bag. Soon she was on a plane to Washington D.C. As she arrived, she found another note and a key.

The key the key. Where could the lock be? On an island. In a post office. Next to something dormant. The BIG secret is by itself.

"So obvious. A post office on the biggest island in Hawaii. Aka Hawaii." What did the dingbat have planned?

The airport was crowded. She bought a ticket. She found phoebe in the waiting area.

"Did Gerald send you on a scavenger hunt?" Helga asked.

"Yes, it is quite intriguing. I can't wait to find out what's at the end. How many stops do you think there are?"

"I hope just a few. This seems expensive." Helga said.

"Agreed. They must have been saving for an enormous amount of time to pull off such an elaborate surprise." Phoebe said.

"Flight 224 to Hawaii. Now boarding." The intercom said.

"Crimney, that's us." Helga exclaimed.

Well, readers. Name a place you'd like to see and I'll try to put in as many places as I can.


	2. Aloha

I own nothing.

Hawaii was hot and humid. The keys said Destiny Post Office was written on the front. 229 was on the back of Helga's old rested key. Phoebe's held the numbers 582. The bank teller was a the older man with a tan that could out Jersey to shame. His black dyed hair was parted to the right. Helga held up the key. Instead of offering to open the door, he handed them a note.

Password. To get into the room you have to give the man a password. On the way here you passed three billboards. Each billboard leads to a place. Each place has a street number. One of the street numbers is the password.

phoebe let out a small laugh. Helga muttered a curse under her breath. It wasn't just a scavenger hunt. It was a maze. Two of three turns were dead ends. The billboards were easy to find of the 2 mile road from the post office to the air port. phoebe stayed behind. Helga would text her the first billboard lead to a bar with fruit drinks from one end to the other. Helga looked outside, but found no numbers. She entered.

The bartender was barley old enough to drink himself.

"What's the street address of this place?" Helga asked arms crossed leaning on the bar.

"The same price as my favorite drink 537." The bar tender said as he added an umbrella to the drink on the bar. "Sit. Have a drink." HE said handing the pink monstrosity to her. She walked out and text phoebe when she got to the sidewalk. A message soon came back.

The man said we both need to be here for him to accept the password.

"Crimney! Why is everyone so full of it?" Helga was soon in the back at the post office. The password was told and they were lead to a room. That room led to another and soon they were back in the lobby.

"I think we were incorrect." phoebe said in a small voice.

"Listen bub. I'm not doing that again. Just let us in the d-" phoebe stopped Helga as she neared the man's neck.

"You shouldn't act irrational. It will catch up to you." phoebe warned while placing a hand on Helga's arm.

"Fine, but if she wasn't here. I would have kicked your can all the way to Timbuktu." Helga warned.

The approached the second billboard. It led to a message place near the coast. 2184 was on the side. Easy enough. As they almost headed back, they stopped at the third billboard. It was to a jewelry store.

"Okay, listen I don't have time for this. So give me the street address and I'm on my way." Helga told the female jeweler.

"Tell me your ring size and I'll give you the number." The one whose name tag said Maggie stated.

"Why do you need our ring size?" phoebe asked although she already had an idea.

"Two men came in here a week ago. He said if two woman come in asking about the address to get their ring sizes." The nice woman said while putting the sizer on phoebe.

"5." She did the same to Helga. "4. Alright than. It is 2235." She smiled as Helga and phoebe left.

The post office accepted the number to the jewelry store and let them inside. Two packages sat on the table. Inside were winter coats and tickets to New York. Another note was on Helga's.

The Big Apple waits. Time is all it takes. Ben will help you connect after you find your passport in the heart of New York."

"Arnold!" Helga screamed.


	3. I Helped

I own nothing.

"Helga, calm down. It is meant to be a nice surprise. Let's just go to New York. It will be fun. We can see the Statue of Liberty, Times Square, Central Park. This is a once in a life time experience." phoebe pleaded.

"I'm staying here. Let Arnold come find me!" Helga said as she headed toward the car. The beach was open all night. It would be so warm.

"But that's not the point of the game." phoebe argued.

"That makes me think. How could Arnold and Geraldo come up with such a complex game. It isn't like them. Arnold loves me, but he isn't one for this kind of thing. He doesn't play games with people's heads. Which means he had help."

"Fine. I helped. I don't know were it ends though. I just gave him the idea. He told me to make sure you keep going." phoebe broke. She could never lie to anyone especially not Helga.

"Okay, looks like we are going to New York." Helga said. She took the keys out of her pocket. She started the rental car.

The airport was busy. Helga bought the tickets with the card Arnold had provided. A two hour delay would get them there at three am with a layover in Texas. They could pick up food at a hotel. Some rest would do team good. The southern air was hot. The accents were thick and hard to understand. They were soon on their way. A cheap motel room with two beds was their home for the day. Helga was asleep within ten minutes after her shower. phoebe went out to make a call.

"She knows I'm helping."

...

"I can't lie to her for long."

...

"I know you need more locations, but I Can't. She will be watching me now."

...

"I know. I know. This better be worth it."

...

"Really? Wow. Okay you could go to Japan or China. Paris is good."

...

"I know. There are so many places. Just pick some. I have to go. She's waking up."

...

"Bye. Tell Gerald I said I love him."

She hung up the phone. Helga was starting to steer. phoebe went to take a shower. She looked in the mirror. Arnold's plan was great if he could get it to work.

The sound of water made Helga start looking at the clue. The heart of New York? It could be Central Park. Arnold loved parks. Did every thing to save Mighty Pete. He wouldn't hid the passports too hard. It has to be close. He is probably just as nervous as she is. Was he really going to do as she hoped? She packed the bags. The plane would leave in an hour. phoebe was out in less than 20.

The plane was on time. It left Hicksville. Soon they were in New York. Central Park had the passports. It wasn't a problem except the woman who wouldn't leave them alone until Helga told her what her favorite flower is. Helga picked the lilies. phoebe stayed silent.

They were on a plane again within hours to London.


	4. London

I own nothing

Big Ben struck noon. Helga looked to the sky.

"We are almost done. He will let us go home soon. The surprise will be grand." phoebe said to Helga.

" I know. Weird thing is. I actually miss home." Helga said. She went to the base and opened the note.

My love.

My life.

Please don't stab me with a knife.

Time to come home.

And let the questions roam.

"I'd never do that, but here we go." She called the travel agent The next plane wouldn't be until morning. She got to explore. They booked a room. Helga bought tea and t-shirts. A few flags on small sticks. She went to a poetry reading. She got back late, but happy. As the plane bored she smile. What questions will roam?


	5. Will you

I own nothing. I am so sorry. I forgot to load the last chapter. I thought I finished it. Sorry for the wait.

"Home." Helga said with mixed feelings. It was the place where she had met Arnold. And the place her Dad had forgotten she existed on multiple occasions. It was the place of her friends, and her drunken mother.

She walked home with phoebe right behind.

"So, back to the boarding house?" Helga said.

"No, back to your first date." phoebe said.

"The park?" Helga guessed.

"No the first one. He isn't stupid. He eventually figured it out."

"Oh, back to the French snail and brain pushing restaurant. Yuck!"

"Oh, you know you loved it." phoebe smiled.

She took the bags and got Helga a dress. Helga was rushed to the restaurant.

Arnold sat at the table. Messing with the little box he had received from his Grandmother before. Well, he didn't like remembering that. She wouldn't have liked it either. Wasting time thinking about the past.

He lifted up his head as Helga sat down. He went to pull out her chair, but not only was he too late. He spilt the glass of wine he had hidden the actual ring in. He grabbed the ring before Helga could see it and went to plan B. He rushed over to a waiter and asked him to put the ring in chocolate cake for her.

The waiter agreed. Dinner went great besides the wine stain that they all would remember as their stain, because they had to pay to have it cleaned. As the dessert tray neared them. A young man with black hair took all of the chocolate cake. He then started checking on the ring.

The waiter gave him the Heimlich maneuver and the ring shot out and hit Arnold in the eye as he neared the table to help. All the planning. All the places. Everything ruined.

Helga seemed annoyed but let out a small laugh.

"Let's go lover boy." Helga said standing up.

"But. But I was going to." Arnold tried to say without ruining the already ruined surprise.

Helga bent down and kissed his eye lid. "This place isn't us. It is too fancy too fake." The crowd looked on in offence.

"We aren't trips and dress and wine. We are Cheese festivals and late night movies. We are the dock and bad thanksgivings. We are roof tops and learning from other peoples and our own mistakes. We are our selves and that won't change." Helga said.

"Can we also both be Shortmans?" Arnold said holding out the ring.

Helga kissed and said in a hushed voice, "We pretty much have been since I was nine." Heavy breathing threatened to ruin the moment. Helga just looked back.

"You get a free pass today. I just got engaged." Brainy looked around and then hit himself.

"If you have a chocolate cake, I'll be happy to attend." Said chocolate boy.


End file.
